Oulu Convention Bureau is the official meeting and congress office for the City of Oulu. We are an expert organisation providing assistance free of charge for those who wish to arrange a successful event in Oulu.

A databank for organisers

On this page you will find useful information on what to pay attention to while planning your event. Please do not hesitate to ask us for help.

Finland Convention Bureau has compiled a Guide for Congress Organisers, with some important instructions for congress organisers. The guide gives you a list of things to remember, a follow-up chart to support your planning and keep track of the schedules.

Oulu City has A Guide for Event Organisers with information on how to organise events in Oulu. The guide contains a lot of information on facilities, entertainment, arrangements, facts and figures, safety issues and more.

12 tips to organisers

1. Make use of the free of charge services in your area, e.g. Oulu Convention Bureau.

2. When selecting the time for your event please consider what might effect it: traditional meeting schedules for international organisations, the Finnish whether conditions, bank holidays, holiday seasons and dates for other events in the area.

3. Pre-book accommodation for your guests.

4. If you get a chance, please make an effort to plan the verbal invitation – it might settle the bidding between countries.

5. Please consider to make a visit to Finland if you are planning a congress abroad.

6. Find out if the international organisation will take part of planning and carrying responsibilities, invitation processes, rules and customs and when decisions are made and by whom.

7. Plan your budget and financing well in advance and make adjustments as plans proceed. Remember to do follow-up checks regularly, so that you stay on budget.

8. Find out which your financial sources are. Remember that there are a lot of expenses before the event.

9. Please remember to check all things related to taxes and insurance.

10. Please plan who carries the responsibilities for various tasks during your congress. Don’t make strict rules or rigid arrangements.

11. Plan your agreements and schedules carefully. Make sure you book accommodation, transport, catering and other reservations on time. Plan your programme in detail for the entire event. Make sure you know what the safety regulations are. How are you going to organise payments and money transfers? Plan something uplifting and fun after the event.

12. Don’t forget to market. An effective marketing increases the number of participants attending your congress. Make use of social media marketing, plan your printing material, website, mailing and communications well.

Bidding and databanks

Sometimes applying to host a congress resemble the process of applying to host the Olympic Games. Often you get to host an event by application only. The bidding process is sometimes a long process and takes time. Oulu Convention Bureau is happy to help you with your application.

When applying to host a congress, conference or meeting you may want to use the bidding form made by Oulu Convention Bureau. This form helps you compile all the necessary information right at the start of the bidding process. Please also take a look at our databank.